When changes happen in an organizational setting, we often get caught up in all the things that need to be done to make the changes successful. Changes to policy, systems, organizational structure or procedures often have a cascade effect that takes us from navigating a single change to policy, for example, to changing and tweaking things throughout the entire system. What is often lost in this sea of transition is the messaging, communication and humanity that comes with the change.
Change initiators who are in the room where the change conversations occur know and understand why the change is important because they were in the conversation from the beginning. Direct reports and employees throughout the team and department don’t have this history and yet are just as (if not more) impacted by the proposed changes. An essential part of a change effort is creating alignment between those making the change and those implementing or being impacted by the change. The lack of alignment can create distrust, disengagement, decreased job performance, workplace gossip and low job satisfaction.
How a change initiator approaches achieving this alignment is going to look different for each team and department. Consider the tips below during your next change effort.
Tip No. 1: Start with Communication in Mind
When a change initiative is in the early stages and you are making a list of everything that needs to be done, put communication at the top of that list. Develop a plan to communicate this change to the team/department. This does not mean that you need to start communicating before you are ready, but having a plan from the start creates structure for your communication throughout the change initiative and will ensure you don’t let it fall off your radar. It is typically more difficult to try to communicate after you realize things are going off the rails. Get ahead of the curve and start your communication plan right away.
Things to consider in a communication plan:
- When and how to introduce the change initiative
- How will you speak to both the benefits and the anticipated difficulties of the change
- How to include the perspectives of multiple stakeholders
- How to allow for feedback and how you plan to respond to it
Tip No. 2: Listen and Be Available
List
ening is a more important component to communication than the words you use. Create a sense of safety and a space for the team/department to genuinely share their thoughts and reactions to changes. If you recall from Understanding Change , change is often met with reactions of grief and loss, and everyone responds to change differently. The team needs to have safe places to share and process. If you do not provide an outlet, people will seek one out for themselves and you will likely be met with workplace gossip and back-channel communication. When this happens, you as a change initiator lose touch over communication about the change and what is important to the team.
You need to know your team and other people involved to know how to best allow for productive and safe processing. Consider the following ideas to help you find your own path:
- Invite participation in a town hall for the full department
- Organize a circle process with your more immediate team to discuss impacts of the change and how to support each other
- Create an anonymous feedback form
- Connect with your direct reports 1-on-1 to inquire how they are doing and what they need
Tip No. 3: Bring in Humanity
It is easy to focus only what is best for the organization, and as a change initiator you need to hold that perspective. However, you also need to hold the perspective of the people responsible for and impacted by the change. Not only is this the right thing to do, but you will have more success with the change initiative if you have your team’s support. Remember, behind the roles and job titles we occupy, we are people first. People have needs, fears, hopes and dreams, all of which can be disrupted by change. If you want change to be a success and want to be a successful leader, prioritize your team’s humanity.
If you are struggling to balance the organizational and human perspectives, try thinking of it as wearing two hats. You can put one hat on and speak from the organizational perspective and what the organization needs. Then you can put on your other hat and seek to support the people around you dealing with the organizational changes occurring. You may even want to be up front with your team that you are wearing these two different hats so they can understand the competing priorities you are holding.
If the above sounds easy, it’s not – this will be one of the hardest parts of your change initiative. It will also be one of the most important aspects of your change effort. If you are a change initiator and need support creating your communication plan or navigating the change, feel free to reach out the Conflict Resolution Coaching program to work with a private partner.
Next week, we will continue our Change Communication discussion by looking at it from an employee’s perspective.
Luke Wiesner is the UC Merced Conflict Resolution Coach , a private resource for staff members who are interested in having a partner to support workplace challenges or conflicts. This service is voluntary, and you can partner with the coach by yourself or with fellow university employees.
